My Accidental CW Streak
It's true, since getting my license in 1964, every QSO has been CW and I've
never had a phone contact. I wish I could say this was part of a grand
plan but it wasn't. Here is how it came to be. I started in
ham radio as a novice in 1964. I grew up in a family of hams and got
started with a homemade 50W CW transmitter. Later when I upgraded,
my interest was still HF DX and I didn't have the money for an SSB rig.
In those days, DX was across the country and the occasional European contact,
what a thrill.
I was QRT for a period in the 70s and when I got back into hamming with new
equipment, I started back with what I knew (CW). My new rigs were capable
of AM and SSB but figured I'd stick with CW for a while and then try out the new
modes later.
Fast forward to the 80s. & 90s. Having a ball and starting
to think more about improving my DXing capabilities. Time for
some better antennas ( a 2 el quad) and new gear. So far still no SSB but
having fun and too busy with "new ones" on CW to think much about SSB.
And now it's the new millennium. It's time to get my DXCC award.
I joined a great DX club (SEDXC) here in Atlanta. Somewhere over the last
10 years I realized that my CW streak was a little unusual. Many hams have
self-imposed restrictions on their operating setups and the goals they set (QRP,
wire antennas, etc). I'm sure there are a few other CW streakers out
there, although I haven't meet one yet. I have met quite a few operators
that are 99% so maybe this 100% CW streak is unusual.
My lifetime goal is to "work them all" on CW. If I have just one
to go and it's phone only, would I break my streak? No --- good
things come to those that wait, so I'll just wait.
If you are also a CW streaker, I'd love to hear your story. Drop me a
line at al@nn4zz.com or look for me on the
bands (CW of course).
73...Al